Timing device



May 15, 1962 w. R. NICHOLS TIMING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1960 S w l 5 T a M V 3 I W M E i 3 0 MN I a a 3 x mi, x I M F r141. 2 1 H :JFLFF. h I] a 6 m I a D 5 i o, a Z 0 I n -Lla 5 Z 5 2 I n a m i.

May 15, 1962' w. R. NICHOLS 3,034,627

TIMING DEVICE Filed Dec. 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIEE IN V EN TOR. W/ZA MM R Mas 04s BM M United. States This invention relates to a timing device, and more particularly to such a device as is coin operated.

It is desirable to have an inexpensive simply constructed and practically trouble-free coin operated timing device to be used in connection with the operation of equipment with the time interval of the operation being controlled by said device. It is desirable to use such a timing device with publicly used apparatus, such as an exercise or vibrating machine where it is desired to control the time interval of use.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a very simply constructed and practically trouble-free coin operated timing device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a timing device in circuit with apparatus to be controlled thereby whereby said timing device and apparatus are energized and actuated simultaneously.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device as indicated having a movable switch actuating arm whereby said arm is engaged by a coin to be moved to an operative position whereby means are actuated to hold said arm in said operating position for a certain period of time.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of applicants device with related apparatus shown diagrammatically;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation with some portions thereof shown in dotted line;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2 as indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of applicants device similar to what is shown in FIG. 1, with a portion.

thereof shown in a different operating position.

With reference to the drawings, the housing of applicants device may be variously formed as may be desired for any certain application. In the embodiment of the invention here disclosed, the housing of applicants device comprises a substantially rectangular bottom 11 having upstanding side walls 12 and 13, with said side walls respectively having at their upper ends oppositely extending flanges 12a and 13a. Said housing 10 has a rear wall 14. Said side and rear walls are substantially rectangular in plan. Spaced inwardly from said rear wall 14, and inclined downwardly from said side wall 12 is a coin chute 16 having spaced side walls 16a and 16b joined by a bottom portion 160. Said side walls will be spaced just sufliciently to permit a coin to pass therebetween. Said chute is secured at its mouth portion 16:; to the upper portion of said side wall 12 by a right-angled bracket 19, as by spot welding. Said chute 16 terminates in a vertical open-ended section 17 having an open front in communication with said chute 16 and having spaced side walls 17a and 17b. Said side walls are vertically disposed as indicated in FIG. 1 with said side wall 17a having an extended right-angled portion 17e forming a rear wall portion 17c as indicated in FIG. 4. The extended angled portions 17c and 17d of said sides 17a and 17b respectively extend to the rear wall 14 having their end portions 17f and 17g respectively angled in adjacent relationship to be secured to said rear wall 14 as by spot welding.

Extending upwardly centrally of said sides 17a and 17b is an open-bottomed slot 20. The bottom of said a horizontal shaft 220 extending outwardly of said switch at right angles to said chute 17 is a switch arm 25 and integral therewith is a spring pressed bracket 26 to urge said arm in a normally upward non-operative position. The spring pressing said bracket will be disposed in a conventional manner within the housing of said switch and is not here shown. A nut 27 locks said arm 25 onto said shaft 220. At the free end of said switch arm 25 is a right-angled arm portion 25a which extends through said slot 20 and will normally be engaged by the upper closed end portion of said slot.

In spaced transverse alignment with said chute portion 17 and depending from said bottom 11 is a motor 30 having an upper mounting plate 31 integral therewith and secured to said bottom by bolts 32. Said motor as here indicated is a conventional design of a timing motor adjustable to operate at any desired rate of timing speed. The specific adjustment of said timing speed of said motor is no part of the invention herein.

Extending upwardly centrally from said motor 30 through said bottom 11 is a pinion 35 supporting a timing plate member 36 somewhat above said bottom 11,

and said plate member is here shown to be circular in j form. Said plate member has a hub portion 36a integral 7 therewith with said hub portion being disposed onto said pinion 35 for frictional engagement therewith.

Extending inwardly radially of said plate member 36 from the periphery thereof is an open-ended slot 38.

The depth of said slot may vary and is here shown to be somewhat less than one-half the length of the radius of said plate member. Underlying said slot 38 and spaced somewhat downwardly therefrom and extending outwardly to underlie the open bottom of said chute 17 is a coin retaining apron 40 formed as a flat plate and having at its inner end an upstanding right-angled flange or leg 40a secured to said plate 36 as by welding. Said apron has a width substantially the width of said slot 38 and is positioned somewhat out of alignment and partially to the right of said slot as indicated in FIG. 4.

Said chute portion 17 is constructed to hold a coin, such as coin 45, with said coin being disposed in a plane extending in a direction transversely of said apron, and said coin will be supported on the free end portion of said apron as indicated in FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 3, a coin box or coin receptacle 46 which may be of any desired construction is shown diagrammatically.

Also with reference to FIG. 1, an apparatus 47 is shown diagrammatically which is controlled as to the time interval of its operation by applicants timing device.

Connected to said switch leads 22a and 22b are two electrical conducting lines 49 and 5d. Said line 49 runs directly to a terminal 53 which will be connected to a source of power. Said line 50 runs to the motor 30 through a grommet-lined aperture 54. A line 51 runs from said motor to said apparatus 47 and a line 52 runs from said apparatus 47 to said terminal 52. Thus applicants timing device It and said apparatus 47 are in circuit.

In operation, applicants timing device is used to control the time interval of operation of a piece of apparatus by being in circuit therewith and by controlling said circuit. A coin 45 will be placed in the chute 16 of applicants device and it will travel by gravity to enter into and pass to the bottom of said chute 17. The operating arm of said switch 22 has a right-angled portion extend- Patented May 15, 1962 a ing through the vertical slot 20 in said chute 17. Said arm by spring action will normally be urged to an upper non-operative position. The weight of the coin is sufficient upon engaging said arm 25 in said chute 17 to urge it downwardly.

In non-operating position the plate member 36 will be positioned to have the apron 40 in direct alignment with said chute 17 and to have the free end of said apron underlie the open bottom of said chute 17. Thus the coin 45 will urge the arm 25 downwardly to the point where said coin overlying the right-angled portion of said arm will hold the same in a downward position supported on said apron 40. At the instant of being urged to said downward position, said arm 25 will actuate said switch 22 to close the operating circuit which comprises the switch 22, the timing motor 30 and the apparatus 47. Hence simultaneously as the motor 30 is actuated, the apparatus 47 is also actuated. As shown in FIG. 1, the slot 38 is positioned somewhat to the left out of vertical alignment with said apron 40. The timing motor 30 will rotate the plate 36, moving the apron 40 away from the open bottom of the chute 17 and the leading edge of the slot 38, which is the edge to the left in FIG. 1, will have moved sufliciently to overlie the right-angled arm portion 25a of said switch arm 25 by the time the apron has moved sufiiciently to have the coin free thereof. The coin 45 being relieved of its support by said apron 40 will drop into the coin box 46. The switch arm 25 will be held in its lowered position for the full rotation of the plate 36. As said plate 36 completes its rotation, the trailing edge of said slot 38, which is the right-hand edge with reference to FIG. 1, will move clockwise beyond said arm portion 25a to release said arm portion whereby said arm 25 will spring upwardly to its normal upper position in said slot 20 to open the switch 22 and thus stop both said timing motor 30 and apparatus 47. Said apron 40 is somewhat to the right out of vertical alignment with said slot 38 to provide lead time so that in the time interval that said arm 25 is released by the plate 36 and springs upwardly, said apron will be in direct transverse alignment with the bottom of said chute 17 and in position to support the next coin to drop through said chute.

The time interval of operation may be easily adjusted by adjusting the timing speed of said motor 30 and may be afiected by the size of said timing plate member 36. This however is no part of the invention herein.

Thus it is seen that the applicant has provided a very simple timing device which is practically trouble-free in operation having but two movable parts and being relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Applicants device has proved to be very satisfactory in operation.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A coin operated timing device having in combination,

an open-ended vertically disposed coin chute having an upwardly extending vertical slot in the bottom thereof,

a motor,

a horizontal plate rotated by said motor and having an open-ended radial slot in normal registry with said vertical slot,

a horizontal apron depending from said plate underlying partially said radial slot and underlying a portion of said plate adjacent the trailing edge of said slot and extending outwardly to underlie said chute,

a movable switch arm parallel to said chute for actuating said motor,

a horizontally disposed right-angled free end portion of said switch arm adapted to move through said slots, overlie said apron and engage the peripheral edge portion of said plate, and

means normally moving said arm upwardly to nonoperating position, said right-angled end portion of said arm being engageable by a coin in said chute to be moved downwardly to operating position with said apron supporting said right-angled end portion of said arm and a coin thereon, with said coin being partially within said chute whereby said motor rotates said plate, moving said apron away from said coin, with the peripheral edge portion of said plate engaging said right-angled end portion of said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 1,191,016 France Apr. 6, 1959 

